Devanagari
श्रीपरीक्षिदुवाच
संस्थापनाय धर्मस्य प्रशमायेतरस्य च ।
अवतीर्णो हि भगवानंशेन जगदीश्वर: ॥ २६ ॥
स कथं धर्मसेतूनां वक्ता कर्ताभिरक्षिता ।
प्रतीपमाचरद् ब्रह्मन् परदाराभिमर्शनम् ॥ २७ ॥
Verse text
śrī-parīkṣid uvāca
saṁsthāpanāya dharmasya
praśamāyetarasya ca
avatīrṇo hi bhagavān
aṁśena jagad-īśvaraḥ
sa kathaṁ dharma-setūnāṁ
vaktā kartābhirakṣitā
pratīpam ācarad brahman
para-dārābhimarśanam
Synonyms
śrī
—
parīkṣit uvāca — Śrī Parīkṣit Mahārāja said
;
saṁsthāpanāya
—
for the establishment
;
dharmasya
—
of religious principles
;
praśamāya
—
for the subduing
;
itarasya
—
of the opposite
;
ca
—
and
;
avatīrṇaḥ
—
descended (upon this earth)
;
hi
—
indeed
;
bhagavān
—
the Supreme Personality of Godhead
;
aṁśena
—
with His plenary expansion (Śrī Balarāma)
;
jagat
—
of the entire universe
;
īśvaraḥ
—
the Lord
;
saḥ
—
He
;
katham
—
how
;
dharma
—
setūnām — of the restrictive codes of moral behavior
;
vaktā
—
the original speaker
;
kartā
—
the executor
;
abhirakṣitā
—
the protector
;
pratīpam
—
contrary
;
ācarat
—
behaved
;
brahman
—
O brāhmaṇa, Śukadeva Gosvāmī
;
para
—
of others
;
dāra
—
the wives
;
abhimarśanam
—
touching .
Translation
Parīkṣit Mahārāja said: O brāhmaṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Lord of the universe, has descended to this earth along with His plenary portion to destroy irreligion and reestablish religious principles. Indeed, He is the original speaker, follower and guardian of moral laws. How, then, could He have violated them by touching other men’s wives?
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Parīkṣit Mahārāja said: O brāhmaṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Lord of the universe, has descended to this earth along with His plenary portion to destroy irreligion and reestablish religious principles. Indeed, He is the original speaker, follower and guardian of moral laws. How, then, could He have violated them by touching other men's wives?
KB 10.33.26-27
In order to clear up further misconceptions about the rāsa dance and the affairs of Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs, Mahārāja Parīkṣit, the hearer of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, told Śukadeva Gosvāmī, “Kṛṣṇa appeared on the earth to establish the regulative principles of religion and to curb the predominance of irreligion. But the behavior of Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs might encourage irreligious principles in the material world. I am simply surprised that He would act in such a way, enjoying the company of others’ wives in the dead of night.” This statement of Mahārāja Parīkṣit’s was very much appreciated by Śukadeva Gosvāmī. The answer anticipates the abominable acts of the Māyāvādī impersonalists who place themselves in the position of Kṛṣṇa and enjoy the company of young girls and women.
The basic Vedic injunctions never allow a person to enjoy sex with any woman except his own wife. Kṛṣṇa’s appreciation of the gopīs appeared to be distinctly in violation of these rules. Mahārāja Parīkṣit understood the total situation from Śukadeva Gosvāmī, yet to further clarify the transcendental nature of Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs in the rāsa dance, he expressed his surprise. This is very important in order to check the unrestricted association with women by the prākṛta-sahajiyās.
Purport
As Śukadeva Gosvāmī was speaking, King Parīkṣit noticed that some persons seated in the assembly on the bank of the Ganges were harboring doubt about the Lord’s activities. These doubtful persons were
karmīs,
jṣānīs
and others who were not devotees of the Lord. To clear up their doubts, King Parīkṣit asks this question on their behalf.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Seeing the doubt in the hearts of karmis and jnanis contaminated with various desires at that assembly, Pariksit raised a question. "In order to establish dharma and destroy adharma, svayam bhagavn, whose expansion is Visnu (amsena jagat isvara), has appeared. Or svayam bhavagan has appeared with his amsa, Balarama. How then can he perform acts contrary to dharma (pratipam). If you say that because he is the independent lord he can do what is contrary to dharma, then he should also accept the sinful reaction, just as he sometimes gets cursed and accepts the result."
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
The ṛāsa-līlā consists of attracting the gopīs with the flute, conversations, disappearance with Rādhā, his reappearance, spreading cloth for his seat, asking a question and receiving an answer, dancing in joy, private affairs, playing in the water and playing in the forest.
When Śukadeva described the rāsa pastimes with great joy on answering a question, Parīkṣit also became joyful on hearing it. He did not find fault with it, since that would produce distaste. In three verses he mercifully raises a question, as if doubting, for the benefit of others who have doubts. The first two verses are together as one statement. The Lord appears in order to reestablish lost dharma, or protect what is current. Not only that, he comes in order to uproot adharma with all its subtle desires. Otherwise establishing dharma would be incomplete. The word hi indicates that this is well known. It is said dharma saṁsthāpanārthāya sambhaṁi yuge yuge: I appear in every yuga to establish dharma. (BG 4.8) As Bhagavān, manifesting his nature as the Lord, he appears with Balarāma. This shows his zeal. He does this since he is the protector of the universe. Otherwise the universe would be destroyed. Or, he is lord of the universe, though actually he is full of all powers according to the statement viṣṭabhyā ‘ham idam kṛtsnām ekāṁśena sthito jagat: I am spread in this whole universe by one small portion of my power. (BG 10.42) He has no other desires than to have pastimes with the gopīs.
This verse should actually start with yat (who). He is the speaker of laws to protect the people or the speaker of rules concerning dharma mentioned in the Vedas. Since he is the speaker he must also be the executor of the laws. People will not accept if there is difference between his words and actions. He is the protector of the laws by increasing its popularity and destroying the opposition. Embracing another man’s wife is contrary to the laws of dharma or unfavorable for the establishment of dharma (pratīpam). O brahman, personification of the Vedas! By transgressing the Vedas with contrary acts, he transgresses brāhmaṇas like you. It is not suitable conduct for him since he respects the brāhmaṇas. Or, “How can I know the reasons since those are the actions of the Lord?” But you are the knower of all the Vedas (brahman), since you are omniscient. Or, he has done opposite (pratīpam): he has spoken adharma, performed adharma and protected adharma. He himself states his enjoyment of others’ wives. Mayāparokṣaṁ bhajatā tirohitam: even when I removed myself from your sight by suddenly disappearing, I never stopped loving you. (SB 10.32.21) He did it since he personally enjoyed them. He protected adharma since he did it repeatedly. Thus he encouraged others to do this. He has more fault than a person who simply sins without affecting others. Or, doing the opposite (pratīpam) he has really destroyed dharma and established adharma.
Another meaning brings out the real truth. Real establishment of dharma is establishing bhakti.
smartavyaḥ satataṁ viṣṇur vismartavyo na jātucit |
sarva-vidhi-niṣedhāḥ syur etayor eva kiṅkarāḥ |||
One should always remember Viṣṇu and never forget Him. All injunctions and prohibitions are dependent on these two principles. Padma Purāṇa
Kuntī explains the chief purpose of the Lord’s appearance:
tathā paramahaṁsānāṁ munīnām amalātmanām |
bhakti-yoga-vidhānārthaṁ kathaṁ paśyema hi striyaḥ ||
How can we women hope to see you, the object of bhakti for the omniscient, liberated sages? SB 1.8.20
The commentary of Śrīdhara Svāmī says “You have appeared to give bhakti-yoga.” Without instruction, by his influence this takes place. All contrary elements will, on their own, disappear (praśamāyetarasya). If that is so, how can he possibly commit a contrary act like touching other’s wives? He cannot do so for he is the speaker of bhakti, the shelter of all dharmas (dharma-setūnām). In order to spread the highest prema, the result of bhakti--his main purpose in appearing--it is proper that he should not respect other dharmas, such as having the gopīs give up serving their husbands. This is appropriate even in sādhana, what to speak of the gopīs for it is said:
tāvat karmāṇi kurvīta na nirvidyeta yāvatā
mat-kathā-śravaṇādau vā śraddhā yāvan na jāyate
Only as long as one does not become detached from daily and periodic duties or has not awakened his faith in hearing topics about me, one must perform one’s prescribed duties of varṇāśrama. SB 11.20.9
Or, the reason he does contrary acts is because he is Bhagavān and the lord of the universe. This means that he is the source of all avatāras and the antaryāmī of all beings. Or, how can he commit contrary acts since he touches wives (dārāḥ) who are his svarūpa-śakti (para). He commits nothing contrary at all. You have already said that they are Kṛṣṇa’s wives (kṛṣṇa-vadhvaḥ).
Purport (Sanatana Goswami)
Hearing with great attention Śukadeva describing the rāsa dance with affection, considering some devotees and dry logicians who were slightly smiling and glancing while squinting their eyes, Parīkṣit asks a question as a doubt to mercifully benefit them. This continues for three verses.
The Lord appears in order to reestablish lost dharma, or protect what is current. Not only that, he comes in order to uproot adharma with all its subtle desires. Otherwise, establishing dharma would be incomplete. The word hi indicates that this is well known. It is said dharma saṁsthāpanārthāya sambhaṁi yuge yuge: I appear in every yuga to establish dharma. (BG 4.8) As Bhagavān, manifesting his nature as the Lord, he appears with Balarāma. This shows his zeal. He does this since he is the protector of the universe. Otherwise the universe would be destroyed. Or, he is lord of the universe, the protector. Or the lord appears in this world to destroy completely establishment of unlimited dharmas contrary to bhakti since his purpose as avatāra is accomplished by performing the rāsa dance, which is without such dharmas.
“But he will then contradict the Vedas, created by himself.” He is the lord of the universe, of Brahmā and others. He is completely independent. For accomplishing his rasa, sometimes he will do such things. He has no controller.
Or according to the following, dharma means bhakti:
dharmo mad-bhakti-kṛt prokto jñānaṁ caikātmya-darśanam
guṇesv asaṅgo vairāgyam aiśvaryaṁ cāṇimādayaḥ
Dharma means what produces bhakti. Real jñāna is seeing Paramātmā everywhere. Real vairāgya is complete disinterest in sense objects. Real aiśvarya is acquisition of the siddhis. SB 11.1.27
Thus the Lord appears to establish bhakti and destroy what is unfavorable to bhakti, such as liberation, because he is the protector of the universe. Everyone’s happiness is established by establishing bhakti.
This verse should actually start with yat (who). He is the speaker of laws to protect the people or the speaker of rules concerning dharma mentioned in the Vedas. Since he is the speaker he must also be the executor of the laws. People will not accept if there is difference between his words and actions. He is the protector of the laws by increasing its popularity and destroying the opposition. Embracing another man’s wife is contrary to the laws of dharma or unfavorable for the establishment of dharma (pratīpam). O brahman, personification of the Vedas! By transgressing the Vedas with contrary acts, he transgresses brāhmaṇas like you. It is not suitable conduct for him since he respects the brāhmaṇas.
Or, “How can I know the reasons since those are the actions of the Lord?” But you are the knower of all the Vedas (brahman), since you are omniscient. Or, he has done opposite (pratīpam): he has spoken adharma, performed adharma and protected adharma. He himself states his enjoyment of others’ wives. Mayāparokṣaṁ bhajatā tirohitam: even when I removed myself from your sight by suddenly disappearing, I never stopped loving you. (SB 10.32.21) He did it since he personally enjoyed them. He protected adharma since he did it repeatedly. Thus he encouraged others to do this. He has more fault than a person who simply sins without affecting others. Or, doing the opposite (pratīpam) he has really destroyed dharma and established adharma.
Or he did not violate them at all. Why? He is the the speaker of the rules of bhakti (dharma-setūnām). In order to spread special bhakti which is his chief goal as avatāra, it is suitable that he does not give respect to dharma. This is clear when he speaks about those who serve dharma:
tāvat karmāṇi kurvīta na nirvidyeta yāvatā
mat-kathā-śravaṇādau vā śraddhā yāvan na jāyate
As long as one does not become detached from daily and periodic duties or has not awakened his faith in hearing topics about me, one should perform one’s prescribed duties of varṇāśrama. SB 11.20.9
Or though he is the speaker of the rules of dharma, why did he perform acts contrary? By performing the rāsa dance and promoting the highest bhakti, he accomplished the dharma of attaining him alone. Touching the women who were most excellent by pure bhakti to him (para), his own women, was proper, to fulfill the desires of his devotees while ignoring all else, since the purpose of his avatāra was bhakti. Touching others’ wives is a fault. These were his women, the best (para), his wives.